Bedspring or like construction



' Aug. 4, 1942. s, J, BLAHA 2,291,869

BED SPRING OR LIKE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1942- s. J. BLAHA 2,291,869

BED SPRING OR LIKE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1942 BEDSPEING R LIKE CONSTRUCTION Stephen J. Blaha, Chicago, Ill., assigncr to Superior Felt & Bedding 00., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application December 9, 1939, Serial No. 308,383

(OLE-252) 6 Claims.

The invention relates to bed springs or like constructions and the general aim of theinvention is to provide a spring structure in which the springs are connected in a novel manner which eliminates noise, insures accurate spring spacing in assembly and maintains the alinement of the springs in operation.

The conventional construction of bed springs or similar articles includes a plurality of coil springs arranged in some definite pattern, usu-' ally in an alined arrangement of horizontal and transverse rows, secured to a supporting frame. Also, the springs are secured to each other by so-called tie wires for the purpose of imparting transverse stability to the springs. Heretofore, the tie wires have usually been in the form of continuous members extending the lengths of the rows of alined springs and crimped or' similarly secured to each spring. This arrangement has several disadvantages. always positively prevent lateral movement of the springs relative to the wires. As a result, the springs lack complete lateral stability, the springs may become permanently misalinedand in time may become distorted or, as it is termed; break intermediate their ends. Furthermore, in the manufacture of spring structures embodying such tie wires, it is almost impossible to maintain the predetermined spaced relationship of the springs, since the springs may slip during the crimping operation and become secured in an off center position. This places such a spring under anundesired initial tension and the completed assembly appears to be faulty.

An object of the invention is to provide in a spring assembly new and improvedmeans for securing adjoining springs together which is easy to assemble, positively maintains the springs during assembly and subsequent use in their predetermined spaced relationship, eliminates noise, and insures lateral stability of said springs by confining the springs to substantially axial movement.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing a corner area of a spring structure embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view through a section Such tie wires do not of the spring structure showing connected springs in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a spring and associated tie means.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified form of tie means.

Fig. 5 shows a slightly different form of'spring in side elevation having associated therewith a modified form of tie means.

The present invention-is shown, for illustrative purposes, in connection with aspring structure that, apart from the invention, may be considered as being representative of conventional forms of springs. Thus, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the spring embodies a lower or base frame lll of customary rectangular form having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending cross rails I l secured thereto. Each cross rail has a series of coil springs l2 suitably'fixed thereon, as at IS, the springs being longitudinally alined so that the spring system is arranged in a pattern of squares. An upper frame it vertically spaced from the base frame is secured, as at I5, to the upper turn of each outside spring and the upper turns of the springs aresecured to adjoining springs by such means as smalldiagonally arranged helical springs l6.

Connecting means embodying the invention is in this instance shown as being the means by which the coil springs l-Z are laterally connected' together intermediate their upper and lower turns. Each connecting means or tie wire comprises an elongated member I! dimensioned to extend between the facing portions of adjoining springs to be connected. Asshown, the members are arranged to connect adjoining pairs of coil springs in the transverse and longitudinal rows; Each tie wire I! has end portions i8 bentto extend at substantially right angles to the body of the wire. Each end portion has a reversely bent conformation, when viewed from the side, simulating the letter 8, this form resulting from first bending the endportion back toward the body of the tie wire and thence reversely in the opposite direction. This end-shape provides twoarcuate recesses l9 and 20 facing oppositely'in the direction of the length of the tie wire body" and arranged for lateral engagement with adjoining intermediate turns (indicated at 2|, 22)- of the coil spring. In assembly ,.as may be seen. from the drawings, each end of the tie wire engages a spring by being hooked around one turn in one lateral direction and about an adjacent turn in a reverse direction. In practice, such assembly is easily effected since the coil springs usually are connected first to the cross rails ll,

manipulates the springs to pernnt the endpo'r; tions of the t ie wirestb be hooked in place.

The-tie wires are preferably fashioned from r/fiat wire stock, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 3 and 5,

but may, if desired, be formed from round wire stock as shown in Fig. 4. The distance between the arcuate recesses I9, 20, or hooks on the end portions, is determined by the type of coil spring with which the tie wires are to be used. Thus, Fig. 2 illustrates a coil spring in which several intermediate turns, indicated at 23," are normally substantially in abutment. For this type of spring, the recesses I9, 20 are substantiallyjuxnections between the tie wires and the elements taposed and in assembly the turns of the coil 1 spring may bindingly engage the interposed portions of the tie wire. The-coil springs shown in Figs. 3 and 4 have theintermediate turns, thereof spaced a comparatively} shortgidistanceEapart and the recesses on the tie are correspondingly spaced. The same relationship obtains in the assembly shown in Fig. 5 where turns of the coil spring are idelyspacedi Some conventional spring structures employ what is known as a border wire 24 (Figs. 1 to 4) encircling the spring system on a plane intermediate the upper-and lower frames l4, It The border wire is usually spaced laterally from the outer rows of coil springs and a modified form of tie wire embodying the present invention may well be employed to connect such coil.

springs with the border: wire. Such modified tiewires include a body 25 of proper length having at one end an end portion 26 (Fig. 3) provided with reverse bends like those on the tie wires IT. The opposite end of the bodyhas a loop or curl 21 snugly encircling the border wire 24. The bodies 25 of the tie wires may be so dimensioned that the reversely bent end portionlfi engages the nearest side of thecoil spring (asindicated at 28 on the left-hand coil springs in Fig. 1). Or the bodies maybe longer so that-the tie wires extend across the diameter of the coilsprings and engage the far side thereof (as shown at 29 on the lower coil-springs in Fig. 1). To

eliminate noise, it is preferred that "the asseme bly of the tie wires with any coil springbe such as to maintain a spaced relation between such tie wires so that thetie wires do not cross. An arrangement of this nature is shown on the lower left-hand corner spring in Fig. 1. Itis moreover preferable to so connect the tie wires with the coil springs that the tie wires do not cross the spring axes, since those parts of the tie wires within the springs are difficult to clean.

It will be evident from-the foregoingthat a novel spring construction has been provided which embodies numerous advantageous features. Absolute lateral stability of the individual springsv is assured since there is no loose or lost motion connection between the tie wires and thesprings in any lateral direction as each tie'wire resists both pulling and thrusting forces. The originally predetermined spaced relation of the coil springs is maintained during the assembly of the structure and thereafter by the uniform dimensions and fixed connection between the tie wires and springs. Yet the swinging or pivotal conhe nt r d r associated therewith (the coil springs or the border wire) does not hinder the required movement of the coil springs in an axial direction. The noise, which is traceable to the movement between the tie wires and springs-in constructions noW in use, is eliminated in "the present spring structure and the open center springs may easily be cleaned.

I claim as my invention:

1. A spring structure having, in combination,

asystem of coil springs supported in a pattern of spaced springs, and horizontal tie wires connecting intermediate turns of adjacent springs, said tie wires having end portions bent to define laterally and oppositely facing recesses dimensionedto receive spaced turns on a coil spring.

, 2'. Ina springstructure, the combination of a coil spring and a connecter secured to an intermediateportion of said spring, said connecter comprls g an elongated member having a spring engaging?end-portion provided with oppositely facing spring engagingf recesses spaced apart the distance bet adjacent turns of said coil sprmg. '5,

3. In a spring-structure, the combination of a coil spring anda connecter secured to an intermediate portion ofysaid spring, said connecter comprising an elongated member having a spring engaging end portion provided with a pair of spring engaging recesses facing oppositely and in the direction of the length of said connecter, said recesses being spaced apart the distance 7 between adjacent turns of said coil spring.

4. In a spring structure, the combination of a coil spring and a plurality of connecters secured to an intermediate portion of said spring, each of said connecters comprising an elongated member having a spring engaging end portion provided with oppositely facing recesses arranged to hook reversely about adjoining turns of each spring, said connecters being joined to said spring in spaced relation to each other.

, with a series of springs and a border wire extending past the intermediate portions of the springs, of tie wires connecting said springs with said border 'wire to prevent relative movement in a direction longitudinally of the tie wires, said tie wires each including an end portion bent reversely to hook laterally about one turn of an associated spring and to hook similarly but in the opposite direction about an adjoining turn of said spring, the opposite end portion of said tie wire being bent snugly about said border wire.

1 STEPHEN J. BLAHA. 

